I use a do-rag, not so much to avoid helmet hair, but rather to avoid getting my hair tangled on the insides of the helmet (velcro-y bits and such). Also helps keep my hair out of my face when I am not wearing a helmet. w/o helmet:

I guess if your PRIMARY concern is looking neat while climbing on extended road trips, then long hair is better. You can get away with not washing it for quite some time, and as long as you brush it and braid it, it will look neat. And there isn't helmet head issue, per se, because the hair is already smoothed down/pulled tight&flat on your head.

However, I think for most women it makes WAY more sense to pick the hairstyle based on daily lifestyle & general flattering appearance, (with daily maintenance preferences taken into account, of course), and whatever it is, you will make it work on those occasions when you are climbing.

Yes, the short haircut that requires gels, blow drying, and the works will not look best the morning after you slept on it after wearing a helmet all day long. But... who cares?

I have had my hair super-short, long enough for a good pony-tail, and in between.

The chin- to shoulder-length is the style I always come back to, in the end. I usually keep it loose in colder weather, and make a tiny puny-looking pony-tail to keep the hair off my neck when the temperature goes up. Sure, there are some funky pictures of me out there, with my hair looking, in various scenarios, wild, tangled, mated, limp, dirty, and everything in between. Oh well, I am climbing, not posing for a fashion show.

I guess if your PRIMARY concern is looking neat while climbing on extended road trips, then long hair is better. You can get away with not washing it for quite some time, and as long as you brush it and braid it, it will look neat. And there isn't helmet head issue, per se, because the hair is already smoothed down/pulled tight&flat on your head.

However, I think for most women it makes WAY more sense to pick the hairstyle based on daily lifestyle & general flattering appearance, (with daily maintenance preferences taken into account, of course), and whatever it is, you will make it work on those occasions when you are climbing.

Yes, the short haircut that requires gels, blow drying, and the works will not look best the morning after you slept on it after wearing a helmet all day long. But... who cares?

I have had my hair super-short, long enough for a good pony-tail, and in between.

The chin- to shoulder-length is the style I always come back to, in the end. I usually keep it loose in colder weather, and make a tiny puny-looking pony-tail to keep the hair off my neck when the temperature goes up. Sure, there are some funky pictures of me out there, with my hair looking, in various scenarios, wild, tangled, mated, limp, dirty, and everything in between. Oh well, I am climbing, not posing for a fashion show.

Yeah, I ask because I've had mine both short and long as well, and it can look all right either way on a daily basis. Any way I have it, it's always low maintenance for me simply because I am not interested in spending a huge amount of time doing my hair. Judging from your profile pic, your hair is really cute! But it does seem like helmet hair would be worse with the short hair . . .

What do y'all think is the best hairstyle for climbing? How do you avoid helmet hair? Do you use products or leave it low-maintenance?

I don't think it *really* matters. Its more of personal preference. If its long, just make sure it doesn't get caught in your brd. Also, with long or short hair, I find that bangs can be a major pain, esp if they keep swooping into your eyeballs. So, remember to pack barrettes or pins if you have them. Because I am a cosmetologist, I have a certifiable girly side. I like moroccanoil for camping trips and avoiding "helmet hair."

I'm a long hair pony tail girl personally, but it probably depends person to person. I look REALLY bad with short hair Due to Cowslicks that stand to attention.I like the Petzl Elia helmet with pony tail bit in back. If you have layers those side braid things keep it all tight and tidy. If you are someone who gets Fly aways caught in belay device try Clipping through Both loops( like when you tie in) to abseil. Maybe having Device on extender would work also?

I also go with braids, especially over a straight ponytail. Braids tend to keep stray hair from flying all over in the wind or snagging on wilderness bits.

Personally, I don't think long hair is better for dirtbagging. It tends to get dirtier and it's much harder to wash/rinse/dry while camping. Just rinsing hair or dunking the head can wash much oil/dirt out. More hair that flies in the wind more catches more dirt. In regards to 'styling' and manageability from day to day I can see how long hair is better. I rarely have trouble getting my hair to cooperate with braids (especially with olive oil!), but there is something special about feeling the dirt and oil caked on the hair that hangs around your face. Sure, the knots and tangles are sliding out, but it FEELS dirty.

One thing I've realized with hair is that if I'm gonna go long, it's actually safer the longer it is. That way IF it DOES get caught in my belay or rappel, it gets caught in front of my face, and if my hair is long enough, I even have 1 - 1.5ft length of slack to work with before it even gets close to my head.

In the handful of times my hair has been caught, it's always been at arms length, in front of my face, and I've had plenty of slack to work my hair out without ripping any out. No pain, no scissors...longer can be better!

Hair was meant to be effed with. I've liked my hair super short or chin length. Downfall to super short is bedhead while camping. Longer hair can just be pulled back. After many years of short hair, I am growing it out a little. It does not yet reach my chin, but this is long for me.

The biggest problem that I have had with hair is that mine is so chemically treated & unruly that I won't get it wet unless I have a means to blow dry it or detangle. Sadly, I am not kidding. Call me high maintenance.